I’m fine
by BeanBo
Summary: Season 3 of Riverdale rewritten without the gargoyle king. Betty and Archie are suffering from PTSD from the blackhood and other events revealed in the story, Archie finds out Betty’s secret, but the next day he is charged with man slaughter and sent to Juvy, unable to protect Elizabeth Cooper from the man known as Jughead Jones.
1. Chapter 1- 3x01

**Chapter 1**

 **3x01**

"Archie Andrews, I advise you to spend this weekend with your friends and family, make the most of it. Court dismissed!" The judge sighed, striking his gavel on his large stand, slowly getting up and exiting out a back entrance. Betty Cooper watched the Judge walk away, hearing the eruption of gossip wash over the courtroom only faintly, through a back exit beside his stand. She saw the ginger haired boy, Archie Andrews, her best friend for as long as she can remember, pull his father in for a hug, not letting go for a large amount of time. Betty didn't notice the calls of her name behind her, but just carried on watching the flame haired teen's loving relationship with his Dad.

"Betty, for God's sake, listen to me!" Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper's boyfriend, shook her, only slightly too vigorously- consequently sending sharp tears into Betty's fear stained eyes.

"Are you coming to see Archie or not?" He asked sharply, already walking away from her. Betty nodded, even though no one was there to see. Slowly she got up and headed for the ginger boy she had known forever.

"Betty!" He cried as Archie Andrews flung himself towards the approaching Betty. She backed away in fear, scared at the sudden movement.

"Arch, just please don't do that." Betty almost whispered. In fact it was the first thing the girl had said in weeks. After she found her father to be the serial killer known as the black hood, she had found herself alone, the new Betty was the girl who watched other people's conversation and nodded along not contributing or joining in at all, the girl who said she was alright even if she wasn't. The new Betty found every sudden movement petrifying and unusual circumstances, such as being told to do something, were enough to send her into a panic attack. Although many noticed one of Betty's more public panic attacks, when a teacher asked her to fetch a few books from a neibouring classroom, and all Betty could see was a black clothed man pointing a gun to her head and ordering her to bury her best friend alive. It launched her into tears and she ran out of the classroom in pure fear. Many of her fellow students forgot about the incident the next day, and those who questioned Betty were given the simple answer 'I'm fine' a trait of the new Betty's mentioned earlier. However that specific breakdown was one of many others, each sending Betty further into her darkness one by one.

The truth was Betty thought it would be easier to accept her fate than try to get better. It would be so much easier. In fact Betty was pushing her friends away, not wanting them to find her so broken. She constantly made excuses not to hang out with them or meet up with them. Espescially Jughead. Since investing more of his time into the Serpents, he had grown aggressive and overpowering. Betty had become one of the treasures he could show his gang members. And when he was drunk... she didn't like to think of the scars and bruises hidden under her clothes.

Archie apologised to Betty, but before he could take a good look at her Veronica pushed Betty out the way and enveloped Archie in a hug. Betty toppled over to one side, just in time regaining her balance.

Betty's physical appearance was in a terrible state too. She was frail and weak, underweight and bony. Although she had not eaten in days, Betty wasn't hungry. Everyday she piled on as many clothes she could find to make her appear larger. The only things she consumed were the pills she kept hidden in her purse, a mixture of anti depressants and drugs to numb her lingering pain. Even though Betty had changed so drastically, nobody had noticed her increasing absence at school or any voice she used to have.

The worst thing about her state was that not even her own mother had noticed her decreasing body weight or her saddened soul. Everyone was too wrapped up in their own business to worry about poor Betty's 'mood swing'. That was why Betty never said anything, everyone she knew was going through worse.

Archie was in a similar state. He was constantly on edge, for fear of someone getting hurt, his Dad, Jughead... Betty. His appearance had not changed, yet Archie had become different. Unlike Betty he still contributed to conversations, still pretended like he was ok.

He had grown unhappy and untrusting. This was partly due to his toxic relationship with his girlfriend's Dad, Hiram Lodge. Archie Andrews had been lied to more times than he could count, this particular man however had broken him, he was on trial for murder- of which he had been framed. He tried to look at Veronica over the summer, but the only thing he saw was the emotional pain he had been put through by her father. He had tried to overcome it, but with specific descisions the once amazing girl chose, the more like her father she was becoming.

Archie felt like he had lost his connection with his 3 friends. Veronica was becoming selfish and preened herself in her spare time. She had none to spare for Archie, excluding the physical aspects of their relationship. She was all for those.

Jughead had grown defensive as well, constantly putting up his walls. Worst of all however he had become rude. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jughead doing little things to Betty, such as pinching her or knocking her. Most heartbreaking of all however Archie had seen how the new Jughead treat Betty, how abusive he acted whilst drunk, how belittled he convinced her she was. He never said anything though, because it seemed Betty was constantly trying to get away from him. It wasn't his place.

Betty was a different story. Jug and Ronnie had become fierce and overpowering, yet Betty had become timid and anxious all the time. She barely ever went to school anymore, so her grades were sky-rocketing. Archie worried about Betty all the time, but didn't realise until that moment that Betty Cooper had not spoken in months, adleast to him anyway.

Archie reluctantly was pulled from his thoughts by a cold hand grabbing his arm. It started pulling him towards a door at the back of the court room.

"Archiekins! Come on Arch, I'll grab us some food, you two too if you want." Veronica turned to Jughead and Betty, and Jughead nodded in response. Soon enough the three were outside the courtroom awkwardly stood, waiting for the outspoken girl to return.

After about 10 minutes Archie walked towards a set of stars and sat down on the third step. Betty and Jughead followed him, Betty sat down beside Archie and Jug on the other side of Betty. Being sat so close to my best friend I heard her hold her breath a few moments later for some unknown reason. After inspecting the teenager not so subtlety Archie noticed Jughead had slipped a hand onto her thigh, creeping it's way further towards the inside of it.

Betty attempted to edge towards Archie in order to get Jughead's hand off her thigh. The truth was Jughead's lingering lust made Betty incredibly nervous. It seemed Jughead, after becoming the Serpents' leader had become prone to drinking and sleeping with Betty, even when she begged him not to. Betty couldn't leave Jughead as he told her that no one else would want her, after what her father did. That was probably why she flinched at the touch of another.

After deciding she couldn't take it anymore, Betty got up and without a word walked away, tears speckling her vision. The thought triggered her panic.

 _Seconds later she was in the park. The black hood had a gun to her head and was ordering Archie to get into the coffin, or he'd shoot Betty. Betty was screaming, helplessly but Archie ignored her and got in the coffin._

 _"Now bury him!" The black hooded figure handed the poor girl a shovel. Betty willed her body to move, except it just kept burying Archie. She couldn't control her body. Soon the entire ground was flat and Archie was underground. The floor suddenly started shaking and it moved. Now she was_ _in a bar, Jughead was grabbing her fiercely and pushing her into a back room._

 _Even though Betty was screaming at him, telling him she didn't want to have sex with him, the drunken teenager's snake like hands were peeling her clothes off piece by piece._

 _Once the pain was over the terrifying boy stumbled out of the room, and Betty sunk to the floor in floods of tears. Jughead was the only one she had trusted with her new ugly, breakable state and he didn't care. All he wanted was her body. That was why she was untrusting of all male figures in her life since that dreadful. Jughead had abused her and her father had turned out to be a cold-blooded murderer. That was why she covered up her body with so many layers, she wanted to hide the bruises, the unhealthy weight, the idea of anything being wrong._

Archie watched Betty walk away without warning. Instantly he got up to see what was the matter. That was when an ear piercing scream caught the attention from those around Betty as she plummeted to the floor. The girl started shaking screaming and crying wriggling helplessly around of the floor, eyes glued shut. I sprinted to Betty and shook her lightly, causing her to shake even more.

"Betty! Betty! You're ok Betty!" I cried taking her shivering hand in mine.

"Archie no! Archie don't do it! Archie I love you!" She screeched grabbing hold of my hand tighter. By my side I felt the presence of another. Jughead sat and took Betty's head into his hands, "Betty wake up, for God's sake your fine!"

"I don't want to have sex with you Jughead, please not again! Please! Your hurting me!" The voice of Betty shouted as she banged her head on the floor out of Jughead's grip. Gasps erupted around the gathering audience as Jughead let go of Betty in embarrassment. I looked at him in fury. How dare he touch Betty without her permission. I hoped Betty was just confused, just shaken up. But I knew deep down that the likelyhood of Jughead doing those unspeakable things to Betty, raping her, was most likely true.

Betty did 1 more violent jerk before she stopped completely. Archie picked up the limp body and pushed aside some of the crowd, laying the girl down on the step he was sitting on minutes ago. Ignoring the clicks and flashes behind him, Archie clung to Betty and held her tight, whispering and begging her to wake up.

Eventually he felt a slight movement and looked up to see Betty's tear stained eyes fluttering open.

"Arch... your alive!" She muttered under her breath, pulling Archie into a weak hug.

Archie nodded, but he couldn't bring himself to ignore the words she had spoken about Jughead.

They were alone barely a minute before Betty's mum, sister, Veronica and my Dad were surrounding the helpless duo. Then the group left, battling through reporters, Archie holding Betty in his arms.

ooooooooooo

Betty woke up on top of her pink covers of her bed. She was adjusting to the light in the room when the familiar voice of her so called boyfriend sounded out around the room.

"Betty. You told. You told about me."

"I... what? I don't remember."

"They know what I did. Now you have to take it back, or I will make sure you get punished... again."

Jughead stepped towards Betty and pushed her back down onto the bed, pinning her down and horrifically peeling her clothes off once more. The overly underweight body of a 16 year old girl was no match for the lean, muscly body of Jughead Jones.

Archie sat at his desk, writing one of his songs. He was in a state of writers block, had been since the terrifying day he and Betty had experienced together yet never talked about, with anyone, not even each other. The day Archie Andrews had nightmares about.

He abstractly gazed up and looked out the window, his eyesight not focusing on anything in particular. And then it did. He could see Jughead Jones on top of Betty Cooper, punning the crying girl down and stopping off her shirt. Immediately Archie remembered the desperate words Betty had shouted earlier, how she feared Jughead and didn't want to have sex with him. Archie bolted out from his chair, out his house, burst into Betty's house and entered her bedroom.

Jughead pushed himself off the helpless girl, now shirtless and shaking in fear on her pink covers. Archie instantly lurched at Jughead punching him square in the nose. His anger was erupting from him like a volcano, no one should be put through rape, especially his best friend forever Betty Cooper.

He grabbed the serpent by his collar and dragged him downstairs and threw him outside in the cold.

"Jughead, don't you dare ever come near Betty or me ever again, or you won't live to tell the tale."

The snake ran down the road, pulling his beanie down over his face.

Rather than watching Jughead run away, Archie ran upstairs and straight into Betty's bedroom. For the first time he saw Betty's disastrous state.

Bones were sticking out of her whole body, which was littered with black and blue bruises, especially around her exposed breasts. He brought his eyes up to her's and saw the tears in her eyes as she crossed her hands over her body in embarrassment. Without a word he hugged Betty, the both of them crying into each other's shoulders.

oooooo

Archie woke up, Betty in his arms. Immediately he remembered the snapshot of the terrors Betty had been facing.

"Betty? Are you awake?" He asked stroking her hair softly. The tiny body in his arms turned over and looked him in the eyes, nodding gently.

"Betty I... I have nightmares, nightmares about that night. That you were going to die. That the black hood was going to kill you." Tears were falling down Archie's cheek as Betty reached a hand and wiped them away.

"I... I do too. That I killed you, that I buried you alive. I...I know, everyone else has more to worry about than a few nightmares so I always say I'm fine. I am fine physically, apart from the fact I don't really eat anymore... it's just my Dad... Jughead... Polly... my Mom... your trial... I have nothing to worry about, but I'm so scared all the time. Nightmares, panic attacks, seizures, they never stop Arch. I guess I just wanted to talk to you about that night, but we just shut each other down."

Archie knew exactly what Betty was talking about. He thought hiding it from those around him would suppress the memory, but it didn't. In fact, he hadn't told another soul about what he and Betty went through, apart from the fact they found the gun on the floor and followed the unsuspecting figure to the bridge. Every time Betty seemed to be nearing the topic he drastically changed the topic, too afraid that the nightmares would get worse than they were already. He had caused Betty this pain.

"Betty, I'm so sorry... If there is anything I can do," Archie hugged Betty tighter, "Can I please just ask, how long has Jughead been... raping you..."

Archie could feel Betty tighten in his arms. In response he moved his hands and lifted up her face to cup it in his hands. Betty ducked her head away in embarrassment, opening her mouth to speak, "since the start of summer..."

"Oh my God Betty! I'm gonna kill that snake!"

"Archie don't! He's going to come back. He's going to hurt me again." The girl once again started shaking and gripped onto Archie in fear.

"Betty, adleast promise me... if I go away tomorrow, will you come and visit me? I asked Ronnie not to, I don't think I could face her..."

"Of course Arch, I'll be there the first day I promise." Betty states smiling a little, "But, Arch, why don't you want Ronnie to visit you? You love her, don't you?"

"Betty, I don't know anymore, all I can see when I look at Ronnie is the face of her selfish father. I'm sure I could get over it if I loved her unconditionally, but I don't. Recently our relationship has been all physical, the spark is gone and so is our connection." Archie responded.

"Do you see my father when you look at me, for what he did to your Dad?" Betty asked Archie nervously, gripping onto him tighter.

"Of course not Betty, you're nothing like Hal. Ronnie's personality is just so similar to her Dad's. And remember, I said I could get over it if I loved the girl unconditionally." Archie answered launching the two into silence once again.

The two lay for another hour or two, waiting for sunrise, signaling to Archie his time to leave and prepare for his trial. After only 2 minutes Betty shut her eyes and drifted off again, although she was asleep, she did not have a nightmare for the first time in months wrapped up safely in Archie's arms.

Archie however didn't go back to sleep, feeling a duty to protect the sleeping girl. In his consciousness he couldn't help but notice how beautiful Betty looked, even though she had her now familiar many layers covering her practically non existent body. He did also feel ashamed, guilty for somehow causing Betty's undiagnosed anorexia and depression, from not being there for her to talk to during her saddest days.

ooooooooo

"In lue of another trial, the state is prepared to offer a lesser sentence, instead of prison Mr Andrews will do time served plus two years in juvenile detention."

"I'll take the deal!" Archie Andrews cries standing up to face the judge, ignoring the gasps echoing around the room. All he could think of was Betty, how if he took the deal, ended the anticipation, all the pressure weighing Betty down would lift. The judge decreed the sentence and two burly men came up behind Archie handcuffing him. They lead him out of the crowded building and into a police car outside.

It was only after he realised if he was in Juvy, he was unable to protect Betty from the horrors, like Jughead Jones, she had begged Archie not to share.

ooooooooo

Betty watched her protection being hauled out of the courtroom. She had slept for the first time in months the night before and then her safety had been taken once again. She knew now she was once again a target, to the man smiling subtly at the scene across the room from her, the man wearing the crown beanie and leather jacket.


	2. Chapter 2- 3x02

**Chapter 2**

 **3x02**

 **Warning of suicidal content at the end, but it will be skipable, I will warn you in bold later in the chapter when the part is upcoming.**

Betty entered the house already in tears. Archie was gone, Jughead was yet again a threat for her. She decided she was going to tell her Mom, ask for help with the nightmares, the sadness, the constant hunger less feeling.

"Mom!" Betty shouted, still relatively timidly. She looked around her front room and noticed the back foot was open. Her heart immediately began to race, had something happened to her Mom, Polly, the twins. Was her Dad back, the black hood. Images of the masked figure flooded her mind as she took a deep breath and stepped into the garden. To her relief she saw her Mom and Polly safely gathered around some sort of fire, surrounded by other people she guessed were neigbours. But just as Betty was catching her lost breath, she saw her mother do something unthinkable.

Her Mom, who was holding one of the twins, raised up the baby and held them above the fire, which was replicated by Polly who held the other twin. Betty started screaming for her family to stop, but they ignored her and suddenly let go of the baby's who dropped a few feet towards the fire but then stopped and started to float upwards. The children were hovering above a raging fire and the adults surrounding them had monotonous expressions etched on their faces, completely oblivious to the unnatural scene.

Betty's eyes felt more and more weighted every second and suddenly her chest started to pain, begging for the breath Betty had lost and never found. She toppled over to the ground and lost all consciousness.

oooooooooo

Betty woke up three days later in a strange bed in a strange room. She had a lingering pain on the back of her head and a dizziness as she moved to sit up.

"Betty, you're awake!"

Opening her eyes further she noticed a dark figure in the corner of her room on a chair. Immediately she expected the worst.

"Jughead... stay away from me!" She pleaded with the dark figure.

"Betty, it's ok! It's me, Kevin!" The figure stepped into the light and sure enough it was Kevin. He carried on towards Betty and sat on the end of her bed.

"Betty, you're in the hospital, you have been for the past few days. Apparently you had a seizure, but as you fell over you hit your head on the patio, knocking you unconscious. Betty, we were all so worried!" Kevin explained grabbing Betty's slightly shakey hands.

The door opened and 3 more people stepped inside. One was dressed in a white pinifore type uniform with a blue undercoat. She also had a name tag which read 'Dr. Staton'. Beside her were two woman, the first dressed respectfully in a black blazer and white blouse. The second wore a more pastel toned dress and blue cardigan. Betty recognised the pair as her Mom and sister, Polly. But after just a few seconds she remembered the sight she saw before having her seizure.

"Are Juniper and Dagwood ok?" Betty blurted ignoring the doctor who had already opened her mouth to speak.

Betty's Mom and sister shared a confuse glance before her mom replied "They're fine Elizabeth why wouldn't they be?"

"Because I saw you both drop them into a bonfire! And then they just floated above it like some creepy magic show instead of falling into it!" Betty cried.

"Betty, Juniper and Dagwood are absolutely fine! I left them with a friend at the farm, I wanted to be here for when you woke up. I would never drop my own children into a bonfire!" Polly retorted, crossing her arms and clearly showing she took offence. Betty's Mom placed her hand on Polly's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down, "Betty, you know we would never hurt the twins, right? You must have just imagined it! We were just having a cookout at with a few friends from the farm, that was all!"

Betty rested her head back down on her pillow, and knew in her heart that Polly would never hurt the twins. Maybe it was like her hallucinations of the black hood, or Jughead. Maybe she was to weak and letting her imagination get the better of her.

After a little while, the doctor in the corner of the room who had once been sat down on the chair Kevin had been stood up and addressed the room.

"Now that you know Elizabeth is ok, may I speak with her privately?" The rest of the room nodded, leaving Betty alone with Dr. Staton.

"Betty, from the results we have acquired it seems the spot on your head you hit a few days ago was not the only injury you had on your body. We found cuts and bruises and a few unhealed broken bones. We fixed them whilst you were asleep but for our records we need to know how you got them."

Betty looked up at the doctor in front of her. She knew exactly where she had got those specific injuries from. Jughead. She couldn't count the times he had flung her across the room, banged her head against the wall. Punched her all over her body. Left her lying lump on the floor. Betty couldn't stop the tears falling down her cheeks.

But as always, Betty lied, "I must have just walked into a lamppost or something." She muttered quietly.

The doctor stared at her in disbelief, "Are you sure, because according to our assumptions, you appear to be showing symptoms of PTSD and... rape."

Betty's heart skipped a beat. She looked at the doctor and pulled the fakest smile she could handle, "I'm fine!" Betty cried slightly too loudly. The doctor shook her head subtly and went to go and open the door to leave, "Just press the button on your side table if you 'remember' something." She finished before opening the door and letting Betty's family back in.

ooooooooo

"Where did your shoes go Archiekins?" The girl in front of him asked strangely chirpily. Archie gulped and looked down at his old worn sandals. The truth was he had been beaten up by a gang of goodies and they had them torn of his feet. In the process punching him, bruising and cutting him all over his body, but just not his face, as to hide the fact he had gone through any beating. But the thing was he didn't trust Veronica with the truth, so he lied like he was so used to doing.

"The... warden...um... took them when I arrived here, along with my other clothes." Archie replied looking down at his slip on sandals in order to avoid Veronica's eye contact, for a few moments there was an awkward silence until Archie opened his mouth to speak, "What's it like being class president in my place?"

Then it was Veronica's turn to sigh awkwardly and nervously shuffle around in her chair. Her truth was she had completely forgotten about her promise to Archie, of keeping his seat warm as the class president. She had been distracted, by her colleague, Reggie Mantle...

Reggie had been there the night after Archie was , the night she realised she didn't love him anymore. They had clicked and slipped up, after drinking slightly too much. The last thing the two could remember was making out on the counter , after they closed for the night. The next morning they woke up together, naked, tucked in a booth.

Even though both their heads were pounding, Reggie and Veronica both knew their night felt right. But Veronica decided to wait until Archie was settled to break up with him, she was obstinate and sometimes cruel, but she did have adleast some remains of a heart. Plus she didn't know how long her 'fling' with Reggie would last and although she knew she didn't love Archie anymore she still wanted a safety blanket to make Reggie jealous if he did end it with her.

"Yes... it's ok."

The two sat for a few more minutes of silence before Archie asked another question, the one he had been worrying about.

"So, where's Betty? She promised me she'd visit the first day, but she never came," Archie then started to worry even more, "has Jughead been talking to her?!"

"Archie! Calm down! I haven't seen her since your sentencing, but we're not really friends anymore, you already knew that."

Archie's thoughts raced madly in his mind. Echoing around his brain he stood up and walked towards the door back into the prison, only stopping to shout back angrily, "Veronica, don't come and visit me again. I realised a while ago we stopped loving each other, so all I ask is that you make sure Betty is safe. Please don't wait for me, go and live an amazing life with your family. That's where your loyalty should lie."

Veronica could only nod in response as she watched the boy she used to love walk away. She knew exactly what Archie meant.

Archie carried on down the hall, about to head back to his room. But instead he remembered a phone he had passed his first day there, whilst being escorted to his room. He decided he would take care of his worries and call Elizabeth Cooper himself. He was extremely angry at Veronica for not noticing Betty anywhere, even though it wasn't anything to do with Veronica anymore.

He immediately noticed one phone was unoccupied and made his way to it. Archie dialed Betty's number, of which he had memorised, and waited 3 rings before someone picked up the phone on the other side.

ooooooooooo

Betty sat in her hospital room bored out of her mind. She was not allowed to leave as the Doctors had deemed her underweight and her status 'unstable'. The doctor questioning her earlier had kept coming back, and Betty was sure she would crack if Dr. Staton questioned her one more time.

Apparently the next day, if she continued following the doctors orders she would be allowed to walk around the hospital a bit to cure her lingering boredom. According to her mother one of her fellow classmates, 'Ben Button' had been emmitted to hospital the day before for some sort of sickness regarding food poison. If Betty was to be allowed to stretch her legs she would go to see Ben, Betty was tired of being lonely all day long and her and Ben used to be part of the book club together a while ago.

Betty was sat reading 'The Secret Garden' when she heard her phone buzz beside her. Turning it over she saw an unknown number, sending her back to the time when the black hood tourtured her daily. Behind Betty she could hear the beats of her heart rate monitor quickening, so she attempted to calm herself in order to not alert any nurses ebefore accepting the call.

"Betty!" The voice on the other sidecried in relief, "It's Archie! Are you Ok?"

Betty sighed in relief, "Oh my god! Archie! I've been so worried about you!"

"Betty I've been so much more worried about you! You said you'd visit! Where are you?!"

Betty stayed silent for for a few moments before telling the truth, "I'm in hospital at the moment, I had um... another seizure, I'm not allowed to leave, probably until I tell them the truth about Jughead and they get my weight more stable."

Archie didn't speak, but Betty knew exactly what he was thinking on the other side of the phone call. Betty gulped and decided to change the subject, "How are you holding up? Are they treating you right?"

It was Archie's turn to gulp, but he knew he could trust Betty with the truth, "Betty, do you remember when I called the cops on that race between Jug and the goolies?"

"Yes of course. You did what you had to, Arch. Why?"

"Because the Goolies that were arrested were transferred here, they... um... cornered me, took my shoes."

"Oh my god Arch are you ok?" Betty gasped at the story.

"I'm fine." He replied blatantly, "I broke up with Veronica too, told her to stick with her family, that's where her loyalties should lie."

"Arch! Her Dad framed you for murder. The Lodges are _definitely_ not where an innocent girls' loyalties should lie."

"I don't think Veronica is that 'innocent'" Archie responded launching the two into silence.

"Betty... can I ask you, had Jughead bothered you at all, because I sware to God if he has I will kill him." Archie shouted a bit too loud attracting the attention of watching guards.

"No Arch, I've been in a coma for the past 4 days, apparently when I had my seizure I hit my head when I fell over."

"This is all my fault!" Archie gasped, "Betty, stay safe, please tell someone about Jughead or..." Archie took a deep breath, "...I will."

"Archie, what the hell?! How could you possibly threaten me? I never expected my best friend to do that!" Betty shouted at the phone her built up emotions seeping out of her seams.

"Betty, it's the only way I know you'll be safe! Please! I can't protect you from inside a cell."

"Bye Archie." Betty said monotonously. It was only after she ended the call she broke. She cried herself to sleep that night, knowing she was alone in the world.

ooooooooo

After Betty hung up on him Archie was raging. He slammed the phone back into the box. Unsatisfied he then proceeded to punch the wall behind it, kicking it in fury. Guards began to corner him but he kept punching until one guard, armed with a baton, smacked him in the face knocking the boy unconscious.

When Archie awoke he was slumped in some sort of chair.

"You caused quite a commotion in my phone booth Andrews, that wall is going to need some fixing." A stern voice from in front of him said. As he looked up he recognised the man in front of him. The Warden.

"What am I doing here?" Archie asked, still slightly dazed.

"Andrews, you impressed me tonight, you do have some skills on you," The Warden continued, "... in the fighting area."

Archie struggled and attempted to stand up, but was too weak to do it. A few officers approached but the Warden waved them away.

"I propose a deal, you be my new star, and I get you rewards. If you refuse my deal, I can put you in solitary confinement for as long as I want." The Warden snarled, "So Andrews, what do you say? Be my new star?"

 ***Description of suicidal thoughts and commitment for this last part, in the next chapter I will write an undetailed summary if this sort of event triggers you***

ooooooooooo

Betty woke up the next morning, or possibly afternoon still impossibly tired. She was so incredibly upset over Archie's betrayal, and she didn't know why. Betty guessed she thought she could trust Archie, but hearing him 'blackmail' her- even if it was for her safety- broke her heart.

"Miss Cooper?" There was a knock on the door and then it opened to reveal Dr Staton. Betty sat up, and looked at the doctor as she spoke.

"Yes."

"I have your results, and even though your weight is too unstable to allow you to leave the premises, I can grant you permission to walk around the corridors, I myself have experienced being alone in a hospital room for hours on end too, the boredom can really get to you" Dr Staton continued smiling. Betty stood up for the first time in days and hugged the Doctor.

About 20 minutes later, Betty was knocking on the door of Ben Button's hospital room, in desperate need for company. She opened it and looked at the teenage boy sat reading a book on the hospital bed in front of her.

"Ben?"

"Betty? What are you doing here? I haven't talked to you in ages, why would you come and visit me?"

"I had... a seizure, I'm fine but I'm not allowed to leave, something about my weight. Why are you here?" Betty replied sitting on his bed.

"I... um... I was with Dilton, Dilton Doyley, when he... when he died..." the boy's eyes were littered with tears, and Betty was sat in shock, "I'm sorry, what? Dilton's dead!?" She asked, to which the pained boy nodded in response.

He then told Betty the whole story, the one she could tell he had been cooping up for way too long.

"It all started in this bunker, me and Dilton discovered it. We were heading to Sweetwater Swimming-hole, when I tripped on this metal thing. There was a wheel, so we turned it and pulled the door thing open, we found it was the entrance to a bunker. That was where we spent our summer. But a few days before labour day, we found some jingle jangle by a tree in the woods... we thought it'd be fun if we took some. But whilst we were high, we had an argument in the bunker, he pushed me, I smacked my head off a table in the corner. That's why I'm here. But the worst thing is, I somehow managed to get up and push him back." Ben was crying now, "Betty, he... he cracked his head on the wall whilst I must have fainted after my last burst of anger because I woke in the morning to find blood everywhere and Dilton's body- lifeless... I killed him Betty, I killed him."

Betty didn't know what to do but hug him, "Ben, I inspired my own father to become a serial killer! You are nowhere near as bad as me." Betty opened her closed eyes and her gaze landed on the window behind the two, "What do you think it would feel like? To jump I mean."

Ben pulled out of their hug and wiped his eyes on his hospital gown, "I don't know. Refreshing, I guess...? Why? Are you thinking about it? Is this because of your Dad?"

"And a few other things. Archie Andrews, he promised me he would keep something a secret, but then yesterday, he said he would tell someone if I didn't..." Betty took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about Archie. If you did jump out the window, I would go too, I've got other secrets too, secrets I don't think I can live with much longer." Ben replied, getting out of his bed and walking towards the slightly open window. He gently pushed and the glass opened fully, revealing the beckoning cool air and blue sky. Ben's room was about 10 metres in the air, four stories high. Slowly he sat on the window sill and called Betty to look at the peaceful world outside.

Betty took in the midday scene. The last thing she could very well see. It was beautiful, the clear blue sky with strokes of white painted around it, the green grass at the front of the hospital, the unpopulated roads. How perfect would it be to die, so happy, knowing if you lived your life would be so painful.

"I want to jump Ben, my 'boyfriend', Jughead, he... does stuff to me, stuff I don't want. I want you to know that. If I'm going to die with you."

"Betty, my Dad, he hits me sometimes. Sometimes enough so I have to come to hospital. I lie every time though. He says he sorry every time, but then he does it again. However I know, that if I jump, with you, it's going to be ok." Ben grabbed Betty's hand and the two looked out the window together.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, positively. This way I'll know I'm going to die peacefully, predictabley."

Ben smiled at Betty one last time, before finally sitting on the window sill, dangling their feet outside and leaning forward, feeling themselves slip of the window sill, and fall into the depths below.


End file.
